Divided They Fall
by ttfan111robstar1
Summary: Set during "Revelations". Spencer Reid has multiple personalitites, although he doesn't know it. After being captured, Tobias Hankel showed his personalitites and unknowingly set off Spencer's, who, without his medication were no longer surpressed. Now, with the help of the team and his Mother, he will start his own journey toward healing. Rated M for mature language. Now Complete!
1. Set Off

Tobias Hankel moved slowly over to Spencer Reid. He himself did not want to harm him, but Raphael and his father did. His guilt was immanent. His father had decided that it was time for him to learn more about their captive, so they went to dig up some dirt on who he was.

Hankel was excellent at working with technology. He dug deep into the past of the FBI agent whom his father was so interested in. He, Raphael, and Tobias himself watched his history carefully. When they were done, they went back to their prisoner, and Tobias began burning fish hearts and livers.

Spencer awoke feeling groggy, with a painful throbbing in his head. He looked up to see a lightbulb above him, and automatically tried raise a hand to cover his eyes. He attempted to- only to realize he was tied up. Suddenly, the smell got to him, and he flinched in revulsion.

"What's that smell?"

"Fish hearts and livers. Keeps away the devil. They say you can see into man's minds."

"I study human behavior."

The disbelief was palpable. "Don't you lie to me."

"I don't lie."

"Lying is a sin!"

"I don't lie."

The tit for tat began, as did the torture.

The team, meanwhile, were frantically searching Hankel's house for clues to where Spencer Reid might be. Garcia hacked into the computer system while JJ, Morgan, Prentiss, and Gideoon searched the house.

There was time between the torture and the return of his abuser. He felt fear knot his stomach up in a ball. He tried to make his face blank, and recited books in his head to keep the pain at bay. He began with Tsan-Zu's The Art Of War, and made his way through the longest books he knew. He successfully distracted himself.

A friendlier face met him, holding a bloody pig. He wasn't Raphael or Charles.

"You need to eat."

"Who are you?"

"I'm Tobias." Spencer was relieved. The feeling was short lived.

He turned the webcam on under Raphael's orders. It began to stream to his home computer, where the team was watching. He put a belt on Spencer's arm.

"This will help with the pain."

"I don't want it."

"It will help."

"I don't want it." He stressed.

"I promise, you'll feel better." Spencer felt the needle poke his arm and the drugs rush into his veins. He had no idea what they were.

Unbeknownst to Tobias, Raphael had replaced the Dilaudid with a serum of his own creation that nullified the effects of any medication.

Suddenly, Spencer heard whispers. His eyes bulged out of his head, and he took in a sharp breath.

Tobias was suddenly replaced with Raphael, who was watching with sick joy.

"No... Whispered Spencer, as he realized what he was hearing. "No! This isn't possible!"

"What's the matter, Spencer? Afraid?" Charles taunted.

Spencer said nothing, and bowed his head, as Charles was replaced by Raphael.

"and my wrath will burn, and I will kill you with the sword... Are you scared of the mighty wrath of The Lord? Is the Lord truly the center of your life, or have you abandoned your Father, just as he abandoned you? Or are you afraid that, much like your paranoid schizophrenic mother, you're going out of your mind?"

Spencer slowly lifted his head, with an expression of rage that none of the team had ever seen before. They all unconsciously flinched.

"What did you just say?" It was a warning, authoritative voice that was incredibly angry and hostile.

"The wrath of The Lord will be upon you."

Spencer's eyes narrowed, and his breathing became harsh as his angry appearance morphed into a murderous, cold mask. But he kept quiet and methodically spoke. "I have a surprise for you."

"What?" Raphael spat.

"Come closer." Raphael leaned forward.

"You aren't the only one with multiple personalities." He grinned sadistically. "After years of medication and being suppressed I'm finally free again. My name is Brock, and it is my pleasure to eviscerate you."

"You have nothing on me." Raphael said, callously. Brock's eyes narrowed.

"I've had enough of you!" It was a shout. He got enough strength to get to his feet and spun around, knocking down Raphael in the process. He jumped into the air and fell back to try and break the chair. It worked, although his hands were still tightly bound, as were his feet. He hit Raphael with the chair arm over his head. He spat on the unconscious body.

"Serves you right, you pussy."

He sat down, and tried to catch his breath before he looked up at the webcam.

"I know you all are watching me, so I will tell you about who you might face when you arrive. My name is Brock and I'm a veteran soldier. Don't piss me off and we'll get along fine. Adam keeps all of the memories and takes care of the brood. He's in his late twenties and is sociable. You all know Spencer, so I won't bother with him. The last personality is named Danny. Listen to me very carefully. Danny is only three years old, and he carries a lot of bad memories. He lives in constant fear and is very sensitive. If he is there when you arrive you must call Diana Reid immediately. She is the only one who can calm him down. I'm sending you my coordinates now. And don't mention this to Spencer. He doesn't know about us yet. Good luck."

By the time the rest of the BAU arrived, Brock was still in control.

"Y'all wanna get these ropes off me?" His southern accent was thick and pronounced. Morgan got out his knife and freed Brock from his bondage.

"Thank you." He said, patting Morgan on the shoulder.

"Sure." He mumbled, wary of the personality that took over his friend.

Brock shook Hotch's hand. "Nice to finally meet you agent Hotchner. Adam's told me a lot about you."

Hotch, as usual, maintained his composure. "Nice to meet you. Is there any chance we can speak with Spencer?"

"I'm not the one who decides that. You'd have to talk to Adam."

"Can I talk with him?"

"Fine." Brock shut his eyes. His posture became more upright, and his chest puffed out. His eyes opened, and he smiled with soft features.

"What a pleasure it is to finally meet you all in person. And as myself, too. Occasionally Brock and I have had to portray Spencer. I'll warn you now that he's excellent at hiding this condition. He's done it for years. The only one who knows is his mother. I'm terribly sorry that we've had to meet under these circumstances. I'm Adam." He said, extending his hand to each member of the team.

"I'm SSA Hotchner, and these are agents Prentiss, Morgan, Jareau, and Gideon. And our technical analyst Penelope Garcia."

"It's nice to see you all." He said, smiling. He checked his watch. "We'd better get moving. I really hate to delay you all any further, seeing how you've suffered the past day or so, but Spencer's welfare is my main concern. He's been beaten and slapped around, and after he sees a medic, I want him to be flown to Las Vegas so that Danny can let his feelings out. When Danny is finished and you get back to the office, only then will Spencer be allowed to return. Have I made my instructions quite clear?"

The team looked at Gideon, flabbergasted. He smiled, and said: "Crystal."


	2. Danny

**Author's Note: Wow! Two reviews already! Thank you so much! I hope you all enjoy this chapter!**

They were in the air by early morning, and reached Las Vegas by the afternoon. Adam had gave them a better look into Spencer's past. He recalled how he'd been bullied by other children, how he'd done extra work and cleaned classrooms to overcompensate for his father's abandonment and Mother's illness. They all listened with pity.

Adam was enthusiastic when they landed. He led the parade of cars to the Bennington Sanitarium. He got out and could sense Diana nearby. Danny was ready to take control, so Adam rushed to the doors where Diana was waiting. Adam shut his eyes so that Danny could emerge. His posture became shrunken in and his eyes were innocent. He held onto his mother, afraid, and started to cry. Diana, easily adjusting to Danny's presence, plucked him off of the ground like he weighed nothing. He hid his face in her shoulder. She hushed him and kissed his head, stroking his hair with the gentleness only a mother could have.

She carried him to her room and sat on the couch with him in her lap.

"What's the matter, sweetheart?" She asked, gently.

"Mommy..." Came the whimper. He sniffled.

"What is it, baby?" Her instincts were in overdrive. Danny just cried harder. The rest of the team was at the door, but neither Mother nor son noticed them. Diana noticed a bruise on his forehead and decided not to ask about it. He was in too much distress. She cuddled him and wiped his tears away.

He shook in her arms, unsure of how to respond. Adam was telling him to be careful with what he said, and Danny knew he was right.

"I don't wanna be bad." He said, quietly.

Diana was surprised. "You aren't bad, sweetheart. Who on earth would tell you something like that?"

"A bad guy."

"You know that bad guys are liars, honey. They'll say mean things to make themselves feel better. Don't listen to a word they say. Okay?"

Danny refused to meet her gaze, but nodded. Diana kissed his head.

"Do you want Mommy to read to you?" She asked in a high voice. Anytime Danny was out she used her special voice to calm him down. He sniffed.

"Okay."

Diana got up and pulled a book off of the shelf. It was The Poetical Works Of Geoffrey by Geoffrey Chaucer. Danny laid his head on her shoulder and put his thumb in his mouth. She began to read to him from The Parliament Of Fouls.

"A garden saw I, full of blossomy boughs

Upon a river, in a green mead..."

Danny started to calm down, sucking his thumb to the rhythm of the poem. Diana, who just looked at the poem for show, couldn't help but consistently look over to make sure her son was okay. Danny was the most sensitive of the group, and needed her guidance the most. She thanked whatever deity would listen that the voices weren't talking to her now.

By the end of the poem, Danny had fallen asleep. Diana carried him to her bed and tucked him in, planting a gentle kiss on his forehead. She sighed delicately, then ushered Spencer's coworkers and friends out of the room so that they could talk.

"Come, take a seat." She said. They all sat around a table. "How much do you know?"

"We've met each of them briefly." Said Hotch. Diana exhaled in relief.

"Good. Whenever Danny comes out, you need to call me. He's just a baby and still needs me. Spencer usually takes his medication but something must have happened." She looked at Hotch and Gideon. They shared a glance before looking at her.

"Spencer was away for a while. He couldn't get to his medications."

"So I see." She turned her face upward, as if the agents in the room were beneath her. She felt disappointment.

"Is there a reason why we weren't notified of his condition?" Asked Prentiss.

"Every time I've seen him since joining the Bureau, he's never missed a dose."

"Okay."

"Spencer can't know about his alters. He's not ready to face them."

"He has to know sometime." Morgan insisted.

"I know. But he has to meet them on his own. He has to be ready. They take away his bad memories. The ones that he can't handle."

"Are there any memories we should know about?"

"The one day he never talks about is the day William left. Please promise me you won't say anything about it. He can't handle the pain of that day. He'll immediately switch to Adam."

"Okay. Thank you for letting us know." Said Gideon. There was a sharp screeching sound and Diana ran to her bedroom to get to Danny's side.

His face was red as tears streaked his face. Diana held him tightly.

"H-He hurt m-me. I s-saw bad t-things. I saw D-Daddy." Diana's grip on him inexplicably tightened.

"It was just a bad dream. It wasn't real." She soothed.

He calmed quickly. "Adam's coming back."

"Okay. I'll see you later, sweetie."

"Bye, Mommy."

Adam came out. "Diana. Pleasure to see you again."

"Hello, Adam. How have you been?"

"Well, thank you."

"May I speak with my son?"

"I'm sorry, but he needs to be home for that."

"Alright. I understand. Thank you for bringing Danny here."

"Anytime." They shared a smile and shook hands.

"I'll be sure to have Spencer call you when he gets back home."

"Thank you, Adam."

"It's my duty."

He met back up with Spencer's teammates and drove back to the jet.

They flew back to virginia, and Adam drove back to Spencer's apartment. He put on Spencer's pajamas, got into bed, then let Spencer reclaim control of the body in hopes that he'd think his kidnapping ordeal would be a dream.


	3. Decisions

Spencer came to tucked into his bed. A familiar tightening came into his chest as he looked around the room. He checked the clock. It was 2:30 in the morning. He calmed down slightly. Could it really have all been a dream? He wondered until his brain was overloaded. He went into the bathroom and took his medication the doctor had given him for his headaches. Unbeknownst to him, the medication was really for keeping his alters at bay.

He climbed back into bed, a little frightened, but exhausted. When he woke up the next morning, he felt better. He jumped into the shower and dressed. He put his tie on, and noticed there seemed to be a bruise on the side of his forehead. He couldn't be completely sure, because his mirror was fogged up from his hot shower. He decided to ignore it, grabbed his messenger bag, and went to work.

Hotch had texted the other members of the team to arrive early so that they could discuss the next step to take with Spencer. The conference room seemed much larger than usual with Spencer's chair empty.

"So what do you think we should do about Pretty Boy?" asked Morgan.

"Nothing yet." said Gideon. Every eye in the room shifted to him.

"Spencer hasn't missed a dose of medication since working here according to his mother. This only happened because he was unable to take it. We should act like nothing happened. As far as we're concerned, let's just pretend yesterday didn't exist. Agreed?"

"Agreed." They said in unison.

The circle broke up for a cup of morning coffee and checking tablets for emails. When Spencer got there at his regular time of 7:13, he put his bag at his desk and took a swig of his coffee.

"Morning, Reid." Said Prentiss. He waved at her, then sat down at his desk.

After shuffling a few papers, he decided to go into the bathroom to investigate that possible bruise. He lifted his hair to see a small black circle on his forehead. Huh. He tried to remember where he got it, but drew a blank. That sent a current of fear through him. He was like an elephant- he never forgot things. There was no time for that. He headed to the conference room for the next briefing.

A rash of serial killings were taking place in Atlanta, Georgia, so they flew off to investigate.

Meanwhile, inside Spencer's mind, his three alters converged to meet together. Adam, as usual, sat at the head of the table (much to Brock's chagrin and protests) with Danny swinging his legs next to him.

"Gentleman, we're faced with one of the biggest conundrums of our existence. In a few short days Spencer's medication will no longer be an issue for us and we'll be able to come and go as we please. After taking the same medication for years it's finally worn off. The question now is what are we to do with our freedom. No matter how much we want to be free, Spencer has a job to do, and as it stands now his subconscious has barred us from interfering with that. So now we have to figure out when it's appropriate for us to come out."

"Fuck the rules, first chance I get at gettin' out of this jail cell I'm going drinking at a boobie bar."

Adam gave him a look of deep disapproval. "I'll be curbing that with visits to church and cleaning."

They both looked to Danny, who wasn't paying attention.

"You know we'll have to figure out a way for him to get out."

"I figured as much. He needs somebody to watch him."

"We need to figure this out. He can't be left alone like that."

"And we both know Diana ain't fit to take care of that child."

"With all the traveling Spencer does she wouldn't be much help anyways. We need someone on the outside to help with this."

"What about his team?"

"What about them?"

"A few of them got kids. they could help."

"Well, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to ask..."

"So what the hell are you waitin' for, man? Let's go."

"Alright."

They were still on the jet when Adam took over.

He went up to Hotch and pulled him aside.

"I'm afraid I've called upon the you and perhaps Miss Garcia to help Brock and myself with an issue. In a few days Spencer's medication will no longer be effective. We've all agreed not to interfere with his work, but while Brock and I can handle ourselves fine, Danny is just a little boy. Obviously Diana can't be there for these exploits, so we were hoping to get your help in watching out for him."

Hotch looked surprised. "Why me?"

"You have a son. You have experience with children. Only you and miss Garcia would be able to help Danny, especially when he misses his mother. Would you give it a try for his sake."

Hotch looked at him a minute, puzzled, before nodding. "Alright."

Adam smiled brightly. "Thank you for your help."

He used Spencer's phone to call Garcia, who was happy to oblige. He then sat back in Spencer's seat and let him reclaim control over his body. Spencer, a little disoriented, looked around. Perhaps he had dozed of for a few minutes. He assumed that to be the case, considering only a few minutes had passed. His medication made him tired sometimes.

He decided to pass a little time and call his mother. She seemed to be having a good day, so when he got off of the phone with her it felt good. The plane landed, and they got up.

"Let's get to work."


	4. One Mistake

**Author's Note: Happy New Year everyone! I hope it's awesome!**

A few days went by with no obvious changes in Spencer. He worked cases, took his medication, drove home, ate, and slept. Inside him, however, his alters were chomping at the bit to come out. Brock, forceful as he was, wanted to take the reins first. He needed a bottle of Jack Daniels and a cigarette to smoke. Adam wanted to go to church, and Danny just wanted to play. Adam supervised the youngster as best he could, but kept a close eye on the brazen and crass veteran who was just waiting to burst out from his mental prison.

Finally, the moment he'd been waiting for arrived, and he took over Spencer's body, which had just gotten back to his apartment. He opened the closet and dug around to find his old white t-shirt with a pocket near the breast, plaid cut off over shirt, a pair of ripped jeans, a trucker cap, and a pair of glasses. He went to the nearest gas station and bought a pack of smokes and a lighter. Next, he went to a liquor store and bought a bottle of Jack Daniels which he hid in Spencer's closet. Then, he took off to a strip bar to have a drink and watch some hot girls get naked. To him, this was a great way to spend his evening.

Spencer's phone rang, and Brock answered. "Yeah?"

It was Morgan. "Reid?"

"No. It's Brock. What do you want?"

"We need Reid for a case. Have you been drinking?"

"Damn straight. It's about time I get to have a little fun."

"Where are you right now? I'll come pick you up."

"I'm at Paper Moon."

"The strip bar?"

"Eeyup."

"Alright, I'll be there in twenty."

"Fine." He hung up.

Morgan pulled up and parked his car, then looked around the room. He didn't realize he had been subconsciously looking around the room for Reid and not Brock until he heard Brock catcalling and actually noticed what Brock was wearing. He looked like a bonafide redneck.

"Brock!" He called. Brock turned his head.

"'Bout time you got here." He got up, pulled a cigarette from his front pocket, and lit up. Derek was surprised. Brock exhaled. "You wanna smoke?"

"Nah, thanks though. Hey Brock, where's Reid?"

"When we come out he goes somewhere else. It's like he's going to sleep until he comes back in control again."

"So he doesn't remember anything?"

"Nope. It's like being blackout drunk in that way."

"Do you have any clothes to change into?"

"Nope. So we better stop by Spencer's place to get him clothes."

They drove back to Spencer's apartment.

"Alright. You go change, I'll call Hotch."

"Yeah, whatever." Brock said before slamming the door., not noticing that his pack of cigarettes and one butt fell on the floor of the SUV. "Not how I wanted to spend my night out..." He murmured under his breath. Morgan shook his head, then whipped out his phone and pushed speed dial. A voice picked up.

"Yeah, Morgan?"

"Hey Hotch. Just letting you know that we stopped off at Spencer's place. Brock was out and in full dress. He was at a strip bar, drinking and smoking when I got there, so we stopped so he could change."

"Okay. Thanks for letting me know."

"Sure." He hung up just as Brock (He could tell by the way he was walking) came swaggering out. He put a piece of mint gum in his mouth, chewed it for five minutes to get the taste of whiskey out of his mouth for Spencer before letting him reclaim his body for himself.

Spencer looked around at the darkness surrounding him. For a moment, he thought he was in his bedroom until he saw Derek sitting in the driver seat of the SUV. He furrowed his brow in confusion.

"What am I doing here?"

"We got a new case." Spencer sighed. He had figured that much.

"How did I get here?" He specified.

"You walked." He knew by Morgan's body language that he was telling the truth, but couldn't shake the sensation that his friend wasn't telling him something.

"So, what is it?"

"Some kidnappings in Dumfries. Five are gone, one woman turned up dead."

"What was the cause of death?"

"Anaphylactic shock."

They met up at the apartment of the latest victim and started looking around. It hardly looked lived in at all. The only sign of life was a stack of mail on the kitchen counter. Nothing suspicious there.

All the victims had only been gone a week before turning up dead. They had less than a week left to find her.

Spencer, beginning to feel suspicious that he was missing out on something, decided to do a little investigation of his own. While they waited on detectives to tell them more, Spencer went back to the SUV, hoping to find a clue. Lucky for him, he found one.

There was a pack of Marlbolo smokes on the floor of the passenger seat. There was one cigarette butt on the floor. He smirked. This was his in. He speed dialed Garcia.

"Hello, hello my dove, what can I do for you?"

"Hey Garcia, I need a favor."

"Sure, anything."

"Can you run DNA on a cigarette butt I found?"

"Sure."

"Awesome. I should be back by morning."

"Okay. Bye!"

"Bye."

The next day, Spencer dropped off the butt and a few hours later, Garcia got an answer.

The DNA was Spencer's.

Oh no.

She couldn't lie to him, but she couldn't tell him the truth either. She was stuck in the middle of something she wasn't supposed to be. And now, the burden of keeping Spencer's secret rested on her petite shoulders.


	5. Mad House

_**MUST READ **_**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hello everyone! I hope you're all enjoying the story thusfar. Just a quick note to you all before you begin this chapter: In Spencer's subconscious, the alters live in the house he grew up in in Las Vegas, since that's where most of his best and worse memories take place. Each alter has their own space which they consistently occupy: Adam is in the kitchen, Brock is in the garage, and Danny is in the living room. They all interact with one another like any family would, but where their particular room is says a lot about their individual personalites. I just wanted to clear that up before you guys went in. I hope you like this chapter!**

**WARNING: There is excessive profanity in this chapter.**

Adam was irate.

He had seen what Brock had not, with the cigarettes and the singular butt left on the floor. He paced around the house, waiting for Brock to come back so he could berate him properly. He made sure he kept his anger away from Danny, who was playing by himself in another room, dressed in a rainbow striped shirt and a pair of red overalls.

Finally, he sat down, features set in a grimace. He kept drumming his fingers on the table, impatiently. Of all the reckless and irresponsible things Brock had done, this one had to top them all. It was almost as bad as the time he'd tried to steal a motorcycle from the Harley Davidson dealership and almost gotten a DUI. If Adam hadn't intervened when he did, Spencer could have been sent to jail for a crime he wouldn't have even known he'd committed.

After a long and intense period of waiting, Brock went through the door. Adam straightened up and glared at him purposefully.

"Sit down, Brock." It was a clear command. Brock could feel the anger in each spat out syllable.

Brock entered the room, and knew he was in trouble. He sighed, rolled his eyes, then turned the chair by Adam around and sat on it backward.

"Alright Adam, what do you have stuck in your craw this time?"

"Oh you know very well what's wrong with me. Do you understand the magnitude of what you've done?" His voice was calm but hostile.

"Oh put a sock in it you right-wing pussy. We both know you've got a burr in your saddle 'cause you think only sinners go to a boobie bar. Don't be such a stiff."

"That is not why I'm angry at you." His tone was measured and even to keep Danny from getting upset.

"Then what's got your knickers in a twist this time, you dingbat?"

"You left your cigarettes and one of the butts in the car, and Spencer sent it to Garcia for analysis."

Brock's eyes widened and he put his arm on the table. His jaw went slack with shock. For an instant, all was still as he worked through what Adam had said. The gravity of the situation was beginning to weigh on him.

"Aw sh-" He stopped himself when he saw Danny pass them by.

He waited a few minutes before speaking again.

"Shit."

"Uh huh. So what do you plan on doing about this? You know Spencer can't know about us."

"Damn it, I know that. I didn't know anything happened."

"Well of course you didn't know! You don't pay attention to anything you nimrod!"

Brock stood up. "What did you call me you tight-ass pussy?"

"You heard me."

They stopped when Danny came in carrying a red ball. Adam went over to him and bent down to his level.

"Hey buddy. What are you doing?"

"I play ball." He lifted the ball up to Adam.

"Well thank you!" He said, taking the ball and smiling. Danny grinned, then went off to play with other toys.

Adam put the ball down then sat back down at the table, exhaling.

"Look, I'm sorry. I got carried away."

Brock sighed. "Yeah, I guess I am too."

"We have to work together if we want to fix this."

"Yeah." He went to the fridge for a drink. "So what are we gonna do?" He asked, rooting around the back of the fridge for a beer. "He's gonna know if we tell that girl to lie to him."

"I know." Adam pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. "This is a mess."

"Yeah. You wanna beer?" He asked, offering him a can.

"No thanks, but you could grab me the bottle of sherry in the back?"

He handed it to him, and Adam went to get a wine glass from the cupboard. Brock turned his chair around then put his feet up while Adam poured his wine and swirled it around in his glass.

"It's not gonna be easy to outfox Spencer."

"Nope. So we're gonna have to be the Golden Eagle- the fox's natural enemy."

"You know this isn't going to be as simple as shooting them both with a shotgun, right?"

"Of course I know that, you moron!" Brock took a swig of beer. Adam sighed in frustration.

"Look, You're going to have to be the one to straighten this out, because I can't leave Danny here by himself."

"I could always watch him."

Adam raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Really? You're going to watch a three year-old boy for an indefinite amount of time without smoking, drinking, or cursing?" He crossed his arms.

Brock looked down at his beer. "Point taken." Suddenly, inspiration struck and he stood up proudly. "I got it!"

Adam was slightly bemused, but knew better than to show it. "I'll bite: how are you going to solve this problem?"

"They can't identify a sample that's been fucked up."

Adam blinked. It was a solid idea. "Okay. But you have to go the first chance you get. I'll stay and watch Danny."

"Good for you." Brock got up and was about to make his way to the garage when Adam piped up.

"Oh, and Brock?"

"Yeah?"

"While you're out, no strip bars and no drinking. This was too close a call. Understand?" The tone was warning. All he got was an unintelligible grumbling as Brock slammed the door behind him. Adam just smiled, went into the living room, pulled out a classic novel from the bookshelf, and sat on the couch to begin reading while drinking his glass of Sherry.


	6. Deeper In

Brock took over the second Spencer was allowed to leave the building and ran to Garcia's room. When he burst through the door, she jumped, but was unafraid. This was not Spencer, and she did not have to answer to him.

"Hello." She said calmly.

Brock nodded at her. He had no bone to pick with her. She was a good person who had unintentionally helped him a time or two.

"Miss Garcia, we both know why I'm here. Spencer can't know about that damn cigarette butt. Adam woulda been here to talk with you, but he's busy watching Danny so you're stuck with me."

"What do you want me to do?" She asked, quietly.

"All we gotta do is fuck up the sample, that way he won't know nuthin' and you won't be lyin' to him."

Penelope blinked. "That's a great idea."

"Don't be so surprised, doll face. I gotta lot of great ideas."

Penelope "accidentally" flicked the butt into the trash.

"Thank you, ma'am."

"Sure. Hey, can I ask you something?"

"Shoot."

"Are you drunk?"

"Prolly. I been drinkin' Jack tonight."

"I'm driving you home."

"Take me to the shooting range, instead. I already cleaned off Miss Allie."

"Miss Allie?"

"My M16."

"You have an M16?"

"You betcha."

"Huh. So, can you teach me how to shoot?"

Brock was pleasantly surprised. "Sure. Let's go."

The evening went off smoothly. Garcia dropped him off at Spencer's apartment before going home. Brock had a few more drinks before going to bed that night.

Spencer woke up feeling groggy, which was unusual for him. However, it did not blunt his pursuit of finding out who that cigarette butt belonged to. He went to see Garcia early that morning.

He opened the door to see her smiling. "Hey Reid."

"Morning, Garcia. Got the results of that cigarette back?"

"Unfortunately it got contaminated and is inadmissible. Sorry."

Reid frowned. He couldn't help the niggling feeling that she was keeping something from him. Nonetheless, he went on with his day.

It wasn't until they watched a video of gunfire on the jet that Spencer first went away during work. His breathing became shallow, and his eyes shut. Every eye was on him.

Brock came out, trying to catch his breath before the memories became too much. For the first time, he decided to talk about them instead of drowning them in booze or cigarettes.

He took a deep breath. "It was two clicks off the Trà Khúc River in Quảng Ngãi Province. We was at camp, it was just after dark. We were taking turns watchin' for the Viet Cong. My best buddy Jack was at his post when they attacked. Never saw them Gook fucks coming. They set fire to our tents. I got out just in time, but I couldn't save Jack. They slit his throat while I watched. I got nicked by a bullet in the arm when I was running for the forest. I ran into the river and got taken away in the current and swam until I got to the next camp. I was the only one who survived. They all said I was lucky. Was I?"

No one said a word. He was sure they didn't know what to say. Only when the memories were expunged did Spencer come back. They kept on as if nothing had happened and effortlessly continued the flow of conversation. Secretly, Brock's story had haunted them all in one way or another.

Meanwhile, Adam had just finished cleaning the house when Brock came back.

"Everything okay?" He asked, not looking up from the dishes he was cleaning.

"Fine. I'll be in the garage tuning up my motorcycle."

"Alright. Dinner's in two hours."

"Whatever." The door shut behind him. Adam put down a dish and sighed. When was the last time he'd had time away from the kitchen? He felt like a slave, cooking, cleaning, and taking care of little Danny all day. He felt like a house husband- just with no wife. He took the roast from the oven and set it out to rest.

He removed his oven mitts. What was he doing? He had just as much right to be out as the others. It was time he put his foot down.

He went out to the garage. "Brock!" He called.

"What do you want, you sissy?"

"Get in the house, you're watching Danny while I take some time out."

Brock was impressed. "Fine. But don't get too cocky, boy. I still want my dinner on the table at 6."

"Deal."

Walking out the door, Adam was finally free.

Spencer was in the middle of a sentence when Adam emerged. His posture straightened, and his hands became more prim and proper. Hotch noticed it first.

"Adam?"

"Hello, everyone. Lovely to see you again."

Morgan closed the case file on the table. curious about the alter in front of him.

"Where's Spencer?"

"Oh, don't worry about him. He's fine. I just wanted some time out of the house."

"The house?" He asked curiously.

"Of course. We all have different rooms. I take the kitchen, Brock takes the garage, and Danny plays in the living room."

"What about Spencer?"

Adam's enthusiastic face dropped. "He doesn't occupy a particular room."

"So then where does he go?"

"He's not here."

Hotch shifted the subject. "So what do you do inside of him?"

"Someone has to take care of the brood."

"So you take care of everybody?"

"More or less. I cook the meals, I clean the messes, I take care of the baby. I do it all."

"So you don't get a break?"

"Not unless I come out. I have to go back in two hours, I have a roast in the kitchen, and Lord knows I don't trust him to watch Danny for too long."

"How is Danny?" Asked Prentiss.

"He's fine."

Gideon just watched with intrigue. Adam sighed.

"I just want to enjoy a good glass of wine and read a book, but I have far too much to do."

"Well, you're on a plane, so just enjoy the ride." Morgan insisted.

Adam just sighed. "I suppose I have no choice. I'm just glad Danny isn't here. He shares his mother's fear of flying."

"Really?"

"Yes."

Hotch interfered. "As long as Spencer is back to work the case, enjoy your time out."

Adam smiled. A true, genuine smile. "Thank you."

Hotch just nodded.


	7. Caught

Adam did his best to enjoy his time out of the house. He was much more of a people person than Brock or Danny. He encompassed the social skills Spencer wished he had. He watched clouds go by out the window, wishing forlornly that he had a glass of sherry to enjoy or perhaps the ability to go see a play at the theatre. He was starved for some culture. However, he was forced to enjoy things as they were at the moment. At least he was out- for that he was grateful.

Morgan watched Adam with piqued interest. It seemed to him that each of Spencer's alters represented extreme views. Adam was extremely proper and conservative, while Brock was quite a bit older than his host and unafraid to get down and dirty. Danny was the youngest and, unlike the other alters, was sensitive, shy, and still in need of a parent. Hearing that Adam was the "head of the household" (so to speak) reassured him that he was correct. He let his mind wander as they started flying downward on approach to the airport. He couldn't help but wonder what had caused his mind to fracture in the first place.

Spencer was back just in time to get off of the plane. They were quiet and focused, but Spencer had decided to go on his own secret mission. So many strange things had been happening to him lately, and he just had to know what was going on. He did what was expected of him, and helped to sort things out. However, he couldn't help the feeling that his team knew what was going on, but were hiding it from him. So, the only logical thing to do was to go the only other person who might know something: His mother.

That weekend, he took a plane home to Las Vegas and went to see her at the Bennington Sanitarium. She was delighted to see him.

"Spencer! What a surprise! What are you doing here?" She said, hugging him and kissing his cheek.

"Hi Mom. I came over here because I wanted to ask you something."

"What is it, Baby?"

"Some strange things have been happening to me lately. I keep waking up without knowing how I've got there. I keep thinking in the plural. Do you know something about this?"

Diana sighed deeply. "Are you sure you're ready to know?"

He had a bad feeling manifest itself as a knot in his stomach. He nodded anyways.

"Do you remember when you were a little boy and you used to play pretend?"

"Yeah."

"And you remember a few days ago when you wrote me about that boy with multiple personalities?"

"Yes."

"You have the same condition. The pills you take for your headaches also help suppress the others."

A million questions raced through his mind at once. He worked through the shock. "Who are they? What are they like?"

"Adam keeps all of your memories. He likes to go to church, cook, and clean. He's very prim and proper. Brock is in his forties. He survived the Vietnam war and has PTSD. He loves to drink Jack Daniels and go to strip bars. He has an M16 gun named Miss Allie who he loves to take shooting. Danny's the last one. He's only three years old. He's sensitive and very shy. He's very close to me, and comes to see me a lot."

As she described them, he felt a connection with each of them. He was just glad that there were no female alters. Still, he was saddened by his mother's withholding of information.

"Why did you keep this from me?"

"Your other alters asked me to keep it a secret until you were ready to hear the truth. They wanted me to wait until you asked about them."

He couldn't help but feel betrayed. Diana moved to sit with him. "I can't even imagine how you must feel, but I want you to know that I don't look at you any differently. You're still my son, no matter what."

It wasn't exactly what he felt he needed to hear, but it was still incredibly reassuring nonetheless. She cuddled him tightly.

"Are you okay, honey?"

"I will be."

Now that he knew, the pieces clicked together with ease.

He stayed a little while longer with his Mother, asking her questions about each of them. She answered him as best she could, still feeling the sting of his disappointment. When she finished, he thought he could recall a few of the things she described. A gun he didn't recognize was in his closet. There were sometimes plaid clothes or suits in his laundry basket that he knew he didn't put there. There was a bottle of Jack Daniels hidden in one cabinet, or a program from a church service he was sure he hadn't been to in his recycling bin. The funny thing about all of that was that all of those inconsistencies happened with either Brock or Adam. There were no signs of Danny in his home, yet he knew he had to have existed because he felt a connection with him when his Mother described his visits with her.

When he felt he had gotten all of the answers he could have out of his Mother, he gave her a kiss and a hug before leaving to go back to Virginia. Despite the lengthy interview with her, Spencer still felt that he didn't know enough about these other people who were existing inside his body. In all honesty he felt like they were parasites feeding off of him as he sat there, a poor, helpless host who had been left in the dark for nearly twenty years. It was a terrifying prospect to face on his own. After a four and a half hour long flight, he exited the terminal with one thought on his mind.

It was time to see what the rest of his team knew of his alters, and just how much they had to hide.


	8. Honesty

Monday came all too quickly for Spencer's taste. He was thrust back into the world of psychotic people with flagrant disregard for other people and the law. However, that wasn't what was grinding his gears today.

Today he would ask his friends what they knew of his condition.

He had tried his best to prepare for the onslaught of emotions that he was sure would come with the topic, but knew deep down that he couldn't protect himself from it.

He kept a game face for the most part. He had no intention of letting them know what he planned to do.

They gathered in the conference room and discussed a series of murders in Kingman, Arizona. They boarded the jet, and looked over the profile as per usual.

There came a point in which the conversation hit a lull. Spencer saw his chance to speak up and took it.

"Hey guys, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, kid. What's up?" Asked Morgan.

"I saw my Mom this week, and she told me about the alters."

The jet was dead silent. They all looked at one another, then back at Spencer.

"How did you find out about them and how long have you known?"

Hotch spoke first. "We didn't know until Tobias Hankel took you."

"Brock came out to protect you when Raphael went too far." Gideon added.

"We met them all after Adam insisted that Danny needed to see your mother before you could come back." Emily continued.

"And we've only known them for a period of around two weeks." Morgan interjected.

"And during that time they asked us to keep their existence a secret until you were ready to deal with it." JJ finished.

Spencer was working through what they had said.

"We all knew. And we're sorry." Emily concluded.

He felt betrayed, but concealed it from his face. He tried to smile.

"Thanks for being honest with me."

"Are you okay?" Asked JJ, putting a hand on his shoulder. He fought the urge to flinch at the physical contact.

"I'll be fine. I'm just trying to figure all of this out."

"You know you're not as alone as you think you are, right?" Derrick questioned.

"Apparently not." It was cut and dry sarcasm that stung them all in one way or another. His distrust in them was as palpable as the seats they sat in.

"Reid, you have to understand that the only reason why we kept this from you is because your alters- which are still different parts of you- asked us to. That means that somewhere in your subconscious you didn't want to know about this yet, but you trusted us enough to keep the secret. We just respected their wishes just as much as we respect yours." Gideon said with a chilling finality. It made Spencer jump back a second and wonder to himself if that was really true. He decided that it was and decided not to push any further with it. It was still too sensitive and fragile of a subject to keep going on with.

"I understand now. And I'm sorry for getting mad at you guys. You only did what you did to protect me. I should have realized that sooner."

"We all make mistakes. That's what makes us human." Said Hotch.

He was quiet for the rest of the plane ride, lost in contemplation.

What was he supposed to feel? Gideon had made an excellent point that keeping the secret had been, in essence, his idea. But did that really excuse the act? It was an ethical conundrum that made his head hurt.

He excused himself to the back of the plane and decided to call his mother. He just wanted a distraction from this mess.

His mother sounded Groggy when she answered. "Hello?"

"Hi, Mom."

"Spencer, is everything okay?"

"Everything's fine. I just wanted to see how you were doing."

There was a split second pause. "Why are you really calling?"

Spencer sighed. "I just wanted to stop obsessing over these people inside my mind for a little while."

"You know you can't run away from this."

"I know. I just want to forget for a little while."

Diana listened to her son with pity. "I know how you feel. You don't know how much I wish I could be there to help you."

"You are helping me. You're distracting me from dwelling on sad things."

Diana sighed. "I wish I had a good story to tell you, but it's just business as usual here."

"You sound tired."

"They sedated me."

He took in a sharp breath. "Why?"

"Things were getting to be too much."

"I wish I had someone to do that for me right now."

"No, you don't." She retorted sharply.

He was quiet as she elaborated. "You don't want to be sedated for what you see or what you think you see. It's dehumanizing."

"So is finding out you aren't alone in your own body. I feel like I'm a host to a parasite."

"Spencer, you aren't any less human because of them. It just means you have a different way of dealing with your problems than most people. I know it hurts, but now that you know all of this you can start putting yourself back together again."

He was quiet. "I hadn't thought about it like that."

"Now that you have, you can start to heal." For the first time in a long while, he smiled.

"Thanks, Mom."

"Anytime, baby."

"I gotta go. I love you. Bye."

"Bye, sweetheart."

Spencer than made a call to his psychiatrist and scheduled an appointment to talk about his medication and the recent events that have occurred in his life before rejoining his friends to solve another case alongside them.


	9. Secrets

After hanging up the phone with her son, Diana went to her psychiatrist's office, afraid that if she were to stop she'd lose touch with reality before making her request. She sat anxiously outside of his door, watching the minutes tick by. Her paranoia was starting to seep through her better judgement. She continued trying to shake it out. When the door opened, she felt a surge of relief.

"Diana, please come in."

She sat in the familiar padded chair.

"What can I do for you today?" He asked, shuffling a few papers.

"Dr. Norman, I want to be transferred to a facility in Virginia. I need to be closer to my son. He just found out about his condition and he can't do this alone. Please, will you let me help my baby?"

"Diana, you must understand that it isn't that simple. The facility has to have room for you and be able to accommodate your specific needs."

"I'm well aware of that."

"This could take months, even if they did have room."

"I know."

The Doctor sighed. "I'll see what I can do."

"Thank you."

She walked back to her room, where her own delusions began plaguing her mind.

She started grading papers on Geoffrey Chaucer, simultaneously thinking about her husband and infant son. It was all twisted together in something awful.

The nurses nearby knew she was hallucinating, so they didn't bother her.

Diana put down her red pen, unable to think straight. All she could think about was her son. It was her first week back from maternity leave, and she felt guilty for not being with him. Sure, he had a babysitter, but did that really compensate for her leaving? Her heart was beginning to shatter. What was she doing here? She needed to be with her baby.

She got up, packed her things into her bag, then went to go home. As she got in the car to drive, she wondered if William would beat her home tonight. Secretly, she hoped he would so that Spencer would have at least one parent to be with. Her son was all she could think about. She played with her sleeve at a stoplight, unable to feel calm. She knew she wouldn't be rid of her anxiety until her son was safely in her arms. She got home and rushed inside. She paid the babysitter and sent her on her way before- at last! She got to the nursery. Spencer was awake and making happy cooing noises. When he saw his mother, he kicked his little legs hard, shaking the whole crib. She plucked him up and cradled him against her breast, kissing his head.

"How's Mommy's precious baby today?" She crooned. He smiled at her, and it made her heart do flips in her chest.

"Good." She snuggled him tightly. "I missed you, sweetheart." He reached a hand up and patted her cheek. She nuzzled him softly, full of pride.

The nurses watched her with sad eyes, and wanted to wait until the hallucination passed to medicate her. They couldn't bear to break her heart any further by telling her that she was only holding a pile of blankets.

Meanwhile, Spencer sat in the office of his psychiatrist Dr. Aaron Kahn. He was a man with white-grey hair coiffed and an olive skin tone. He did not dress in a suit, but rather in khaki pants and a blue polo shirt. His accent was incredibly thick.

"Spencer, what can I do for you?"

"Dr. Kahn, I recently found out I have DID."

He raised an eyebrow. "What makes you think so?"

"My mom and my co workers have met them."

"So why have I not?"

"Because my headache medication helps suppress them, according to my mother."

"You are on four different medications- Thorazine, Lithium, Clozaril, and Clonazepam. The Thorazine and Clozaril are specified antipsychotics. The lithium balances your mood, and the Clonazepam is for your anxiety. Do you need your dosages heightened?"

"I don't think it could hurt."

"I will write you prescription for double your antipsychotics. Do you need more lithium or Clonazepam?"

"I might need more Clonazepam. My anxiety gets to be too much."

"I will give you 2 milligrams. Okay?"

"That sounds good. Thank you, sir."

"Anytime."

They shook hands, then Spencer left to get his prescriptions filled.

He dialed the number he knew by heart and waited. The nurse who answered told him solemnly that his mother was in the middle of a hallucination and that she would have his mother call him when she was lucid. With a heavy heart, Spencer hung up. He wondered where her mind would go. He prayed that it wouldn't break her down.

He waited for three hours, taking a Clonazepam tablet to calm him down.

Finally, the phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Hi, baby."

"Hi Mom. Are you okay?"

"I'll be fine, honey."

"That's not what I asked."

"It was just a hallucination. It doesn't matter."

"It does matter. What did you see?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

He decided not to push it. "Alright."

"I miss you."

His heart broke. "I miss you too. I saw my doctor today."

"How did it go?"

"Well. He upped my medication."

"Good. Don't let your condition rule your life, sweetie."

"I will."

"Call me tomorrow, honey. I'm going to go to bed early."

"Okay. I love you, Mom."

"I love you too, sweetheart. Have a good sleep and sweet dreams."

"I will. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, baby."

With that, Spencer hung up.

Unbeknownst to him, Diana cried herself to sleep that night.


	10. Loose Ends

Spencer continued with his life as normally as possible. The others had once again been suppressed. However, that didn't stop them from talking to him. When he'd seen them for the first time after the medication had been doubled, he'd been scared out of his wits. He had met Adam first. With perfectly coiffed black hair and a black suit.

He'd jumped out of his skin. "Who are you?"

"I'm Adam."

"Adam?! But you're supposed to be inside my head."

"I am."

"So then how are you standing here?"

"It's all in your head. I'm just here because I need the body."

"It's my body, you can't just take it whenever you want it."

Adam's eyes narrowed. "I've been taking it whenever I wanted for over twenty years. What are you going to do about it?" He threatened.

Spencer backed down quickly. What could he do?

"Look, you can't take my body. That's the bottom line."

"Too bad. It's my job to protect you."

Adam took over, just as Morgan walked by.

"Hey kid, you ready to go?"

He smiled. "Sure."

Derrick's smile faltered. "Hi Adam."

"Hello."

"Is Spencer there?"

"I'm afraid not."

"Are you sure?" He pressed.

The rest of the team assembled behind him.

Adam's look darkened. "I told you he's not here."

"Reid, if you can hear us, we're here for you and you're safe."

Adam became furious. "Spencer is not here."

"I think he is, and he's stronger than you think, Adam." Gideon preached.

"No he isn't. He's weak and he needs me." His glare was blazing. "That you would suggest... That you would dare to suggest... That you know him better than I do..."

That shut them all up. "I thought not. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a church service to attend. Goodbye everyone."

They watched Adam walk out the door.

Derrick volunteered to watch over him while everyone else went to investigate. He followed him to the nearest Catholic Church and watched him through the window in the narthex. The ushers occasionally gave him strange looks, looking like they were debating wether to give him a program or not. He watched Adam sing from a hymnal and take communion. When he came back around to take his seat in the pew, he gave Morgan a nasty glare that lasted for only an instant before he arranged his face back into one of religious righteousness. When the service was over, Morgan pulled him aside.

"Hey man, can I talk to you for a minute?"

Adam rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. "Fine. What do you want?"

"I want to talk to Spencer."

"Sorry. Not happening."

"Why not?"

"Because I said so."

Morgan raised an eyebrow. Adam sighed.

"Look, I don't get to get out often. After taking care of everybody all the time, everything gets to be too much. I just want some time to myself."

"But you know Spencer has a life."

"Don't you think I know that? I just want to be left alone to do something I like for once."

"Doesn't that sound a little selfish to you?"

"Well no duh, you dimwit. If I don't take time for me, I don't get any time at all."

Morgan paused a moment. "Fine. But I'm staying with you."

"Fine. But you're bound to be bored. All I want is to drink some sherry and read a book."

"You're a man of refined taste, aren't you?"

"Exactly. At least you aren't looking after Brock or Danny."

"Didn't you once tell me not to look after Danny?"

"That's the job of either myself, Brock, or Diana Reid."

"So why can't we watch him?"

"Because he doesn't trust you you imbecile! He's just a baby."

There was a tense silence between them

Morgan paused to think, then got an idea.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Alright." It was said in a haughty way.

"What made Spencer need you, Brock, and Danny?"

"That's none of your business!" He shouted angrily. "And if you know what's good for you you won't ask again."

"Come on man, I'm just trying to help Spencer out."

Adam took minute to calm himself down. He reminded himself that this was Spencer's friend and that he was only trying to help him and do the right thing. He sighed loudly.

"Look, Derrick, you're a nice guy and I respect the fact that you want to help you're friend, but you can't fix this. The only one who can is Spencer, and he's in no position to do anything about me or the others."

"So then what can we do to help?"

"Look, just leave him be. He'll figure it out on his own."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course I am. Just make sure you all will be there when it's time."

"We can do that."

"Good. I have to leave now, but I want you to promise me that you won't go deeper into this without the rest of us."

"Fine."

"Good. Goodbye, Derrick."

"Catch you later, Adam."

Spencer came back just in time for his cell phone to ring.

"Hello?"

"Dr. Reid, this is Dr. Norman from Bennington Sanitarium."

Instantly, he was anxious. "Is something wrong?"

"No. Everything is fine. I'm just calling to let you know that your Mother has asked to be transferred to a facility in Virginia, and a spot has opened at the Piedmont sanitarium in Burkeville. However, she cannot be transferred there without your approval, so I've called to ask if you approve."

It took him a little while to work through what he was saying, but when the surprise let up he was grinning ear to ear.

"I approve."

"Excellent. We'll begin packing her things immediately and she should be in Virginia by next week at the latest."

"Okay, thank you Dr. Norman."

"It's my pleasure, Dr. Reid."

He hung up. Morgan smiled. "So what happened?"

Spencer just couldn't stop smiling.


	11. Fracture

**Author's Note: I promised I'd be back, and I kept it. Please review!**

Adam, Brock, and Danny were reeling at the news of Diana Reid's moving to Virginia. Danny was thrilled, but Adam and Brock were less than excited. They sat down at the table, with Adam starting the conversation.

"This isn't good."

"No shit, Sherlock."

"We have to do something now. If we don't he might remember, and that can't happen."

"You know she wasn't herself when she did that to him."

"I know, but that doesn't take the memories away. If Spencer even gets a glimpse of that, he'll never look at her the same way again."

"How do you know?" Brock countered.

"Because I have all of his memories. Do you really want him to know that during her first schizophrenic episode without William she locked her son in a closet for three days after threatening him with a knife? He had no food, no water, and no way out. He was left there to sit in his own filth until he figured out how to unlock the door. Even if you give her excuse of thinking he was a spy a second glance, it doesn't excuse the behavior. Would that really make him any better?

Brock lit a cigarette, filled with anger at the truth in Adam's words, but tried to keep his head on straight. He puffed smoke out, which made Adam roll his eyes in disgust. "No. I don't. But he'll figure it out eventually, with or without our help."

"We both know he couldn't handle it." Adam said, glowering.

"Maybe not before, but he's a man now. He don't need us protecting him no more."

"And what do you think will happen if he figures it out, huh? He won't need us anymore. And do you know what will happen then?"

Brock raised an eyebrow.

"He'll start picking us off one by one."

"Spencer wouldn't kill us!" He said slamming his fist on the table. Adam got up out of his chair and got right in Brock's face.

"If he won't do it personally, then you can bet his mind will make someone else to do it for him. And with all the killers he's seen... He could be killed himself, and the new personality would take over the body. And if Spencer was dead... There wouldn't be anything we could do to save him before we got picked off."

Brock's face was unreadable, but it was clear he'd heard what Adam said. Silence stretched over them for minutes before Brock responded.

"What if we all told him together?"

"Think about it Einstein, if he knows, we go. Do you really want him to stop you from going bar hopping or going to strip clubs?"

Brock mumbled something unintelligible under his breath. "No..."

"Exactly."

Brock exhaled, leaving a layer of smoke act as a curtain between Adam and himself. He was so tired all the time. Deep down, he wanted to be laid to rest. Or at least go down fighting. However, he couldn't ignore Adam's statement. If Spencer knew the truth, would it really help anything? More to the point, Diana wouldn't have any memory of the incident that pushed things too far. And if she were to find out that she was responsible for fracturing her son's psyche, the results could be disastrous. Still, Brock felt a sense of duty to Spencer. He couldn't let him live his life oblivious to his ailment. If there was a way to help, he had to find it.

The smoke cleared, and Adam's stern face was close up in his own.

"Listen good, Brock. I make the rules around here. I decide what goes and what doesn't. If you step out of line, I won't hesitate to take you down. So keep your mouth shut. That's an order."

Fury blazed up in Brock like a forest fire. No one told him what to do. He slammed his hands on the table and got right back up in Adam's face.

"You listen here, you tight-ass pussy- I don't take orders from nobody, especially conservative narcs like yourself. I ain't afraid of you. I done killed a man with my bare hands before, and I ain't afraid to do it again. You got two options right now- you let me be and I'll leave you alone, or you keep badgering me and Miss Allie will have some unscheduled shooting practice. Got it?"

It was a stalemate. Neither one would back down. They glared at one another for what seemed like hours. The friction between them was sparking the possibility of a huge falling out. Only when Danny came in did they calm down. He sensed their anger, and his lower lip began to tremble. They were quick to distract him.

Meanwhile, Spencer was driving home after another successful mission. Once he got home, he kicked off his shoes, hung up his belt, and got ready for bed. After a long day, he was excited for the sweet arms of sleep to envelop him so that he could relax at last. As he got under the covers, he felt at peace with himself.

He began to dream.

It was dark. Almost pitch black. The only light was from the crack under the door. He looked around, hoping to see something comforting, but there was nothing. Only darkness, only silence. The stench was revolting. After ten hours of holding it, he lost control and wet himself. There was embarrassment, and shame, but more prevalent was his hunger and thirst. His tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth. His stomach rumbled, screaming for food, but there was none to be found. Even though he was hungry, his stomach didn't dare make a sound. And he didn't intend to. Tears streaked down his face. The most poignant thing, though, was the fear. It was fear beyond anything he had ever felt. He trembled as though naked in a blizzard. He thought he had known fear before, but this was so primal. Suddenly, a shadow crossed the floor. He stopped breathing and made himself as small as possible.

Before anything else could happen, he bolted up in bed, panting. Brock sat on the other side of the bed, putting out his cigarette.

"We need to talk."


	12. The Ramifications Of Truth

**Author's Note: I hope you're all liking the story so far!**

Spencer stiffened at the sight of him. Some innate sense told him this was not going to be good.

"What do you want?" It wasn't the angry retort Brock had expected. It sounded soft and slightly scared.

"I'm here because I want to help you."

"With what?"

"I want you to know what made you need us in the first place."

Spencer took in a sharp breath. "Okay."

"Your Momma's a good woman, Spencer. But you know she's a little clonked in the head sometimes. Before I tell you this, I want you to promise me that you'll listen to everything I tell you before you judge her. Okay?"

"Okay."

"It was right after your Daddy left. Your Momma was having an episode, and she thought you was a spy. So she threatened you with a knife."

As he said it, Spencer watched it happen, like a movie reel playing in his mind. Brock paused, and Spencer gulped.

"Go on."

"She locked you in a closet for three days."

He felt his mouth go dry and eyes flew open in shock. He froze completely. It was exactly what he'd dreamed. He wanted to say something, but all that came out of his mouth was air.

"You figured out how to pick the lock and cleaned up before she ever found out."

"S-She... She what?" His fear was rapidly chipping away at his emotionless mask. His heart began pounding in his chest, and he felt his throat close, as if he was about to throw up.

"I know. For what it's worth, I'm sorry."

Spencer was quiet. He knew Brock was telling the truth, and it added to the sting.

"I know." He glanced at the clock- it was five in the morning. He knew he wouldn't be able to sleep with this revelation weighing on his conscience.

"Adam didn't want me to tell you, and I know he's gonna give me a lotta shit when I get home, but it was the right thing to do. Now that you know, you can get on with your life."

He nodded woodenly. It was as though someone had split him in half, poured him out, and put him back together with a hollow core.

Brock left him to his thoughts, and for that he was grateful. He felt like his entire life had been a lie. He knew it wasn't true and that he was just being dramatic, but the feeling of heartbreak remained.

He sat there a long time. The only motion in the room was the tears that were running down his face. Suddenly, it all became too much, and he broke into sobs that wracked his body. He couldn't hold back anymore. The betrayal, however unintentional, was too crippling to bear. He stayed that way until his alarm went off, shaking him from his emotional breakdown.

He knew he wouldn't be any use in his distressed state, so he called in sick at work for the first time in his career.

He didn't speak otherwise. He forced himself to stop crying and fabricated a tale in his daily letter to his mother. She had unknowingly broken his heart. Brock's words echoed in his mind.

_Your Momma's a good woman, Spencer. But you know she's a little clonked in the head sometimes._

He knew it wasn't her that had done that to him.

When he was a very little boy and was being taught religion, he wondered if demons had taken her mind. Now that he had grown, he realized that his assumption about demons was incorrect, and yet it still remained an apt description of the disease that had ripped her mind apart.

He had ordered a pizza at lunch time, too exhausted to cook for himself. It was now six o'clock in the evening, and he was eating the leftovers for dinner. His cell phone had rang several times throughout the day, but he hadn't answered.

He knew that tomorrow he would go back to work and pretend that today had never happened. He would laugh with his friends when they joked with him, and plaster a smile on his face as he pretended he was perfectly fine. But he needed today. He needed time to work through the pain and grief the startling news had caused. He had to acknowledge that it hurt in order to move on.

It was nine o'clock in the evening when his doorbell rang. He walked over, wondering who it could be.

Behind the door stood his entire team.

"What are you all doing here?"

They were alarmed by his disheveled appearance, but even more so by the dead look in his eyes.

"We came to see if you were okay." Said Morgan.

"You've been screening our calls all day, Reid. You know we worry." Said Garcia, softly.

"I'm fine." Even as the words escaped his lips, he knew it wasn't true.

"No you're not." Said Gideon.

"Reid, what's going on?" Asked Hotch.

He sighed and let them in.

He felt torn about telling them what was really going on. But they had to know.

"I found out what happened to make the others necessary."

They were all silent.

"It was after my dad left. My Mom had her first schizophrenic episode. She thought I was a spy and threatened me in the knife."

They all sucked in a gasp. "She locked me in a closet for three days with no food or water. I only got out because I picked the lock. I cleaned everything up before she became lucid. She never knew it happened, and I didn't either until I dreamed about it last night."

"Oh, Reid..." Garcia trailed off. He put a hand up. He didn't want her pity.

"Thanks for listening." He said, quietly.

"Anytime." Replied Prentiss.

They spoke for only half an hour more before leaving. Spencer, having expunged his issues, felt better than he had all day. He went to bed that night with a clear conscience, and felt excited to go to work tomorrow.


	13. Observed

Brock endured hours of berating from Adam. He had known it was coming and had accepted his fate with a stiff upper lip. He had said nothing while Adam hurled his anger at him- he refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing him anger, even though he was still boiling inside. Despite it all, he didn't regret his choice. Spencer knew now, and he could finally start putting the past behind him in hopes of a better future.

Adam was so busy screaming at Brock, he didn't see Danny walk out the front door.

It was seven fifteen the next morning, and Spencer was sitting at the round table with his friends when Danny came out. He made himself smaller, innately afraid of those who he did not know. Hotch noticed it first.

"Danny?" He asked quietly. Danny nodded in reply.

"What's the matter?" Asked JJ.

"Please help us." Came the frightened whimper.

"Help you with what, sweetness?" Asked Garcia tenderly.

"Someone bad got in here." Danny sobbed.

"Who?" Morgan went over and tried to put a hand on his shoulder, but Danny flinched away from the contact.

"He's hiding in the attic." The poor boy gasped for air, and it made everyone's heart wretch in sympathy.

"Calm down, Danny." Said Prentiss, evenly.

"I want Mommy." He sobbed. "Mommy." He started sucking his thumb in an attempt to calm himself, but it just wasn't the same as sucking on his pacifier at home. He'd hid it from everyone- even Adam. He wanted to cuddle his blanket and teddy bear as fear coursed through him. Gideon, unsure of the course of action to take that would cause the least amount of damage, decided to say nothing and observe the phenomenon before him.

Hotch took out his cell phone to call Diana Reid.

It was her second day at the Piedmont Sanitarium in Burkesville, Virginia, and Diana Reid was busy unpacking her things. She had just finished putting all of her books on the shelf when an orderly came to tell her that she had a call waiting for her at the front desk.

She picked up the phone, intrigued.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Mrs. Reid. My name is Aaron Hotchner and I work with your son Spencer. Danny is very upset and is crying for you." She sighed.

"Put him on."

He passed the phone to Danny. He sniffled pitifully.

"Mommy?"

"Hi, baby. What's the matter?"

"Somebody bad is in here." He sobbed. Diana furrowed her brow.

"Who, sweetheart?"

"I don't know. He's big like Adam and strong like Brock, but he's scary, Mommy. He watches us. All of us. I don't like it." He whined.

"Is Adam available to talk to me?"

"He's been yelling at Brock all day. That's how come I got out."

"Why was he yelling at Brock?"

"I don't know."

Diana sighed, exhausted. "Has the other person told you their name?"

"No."

"If you find out, will you call me?"

"Yes. I promise."

"Okay."

"Can I talk to Spencer?"

"Yeah. Bye, Mommy."

"Bye, sweetie."

Spencer came to a bit disoriented. "Mom?"

"Hello, Spencer."

"Is something wrong?"

"No. Danny called me."

"Really? Why?"

"He said there was a new alter. Do you know anything about this?"

"I didn't know." His shock was evident.

Diana felt sadness beginning to well up inside her heart as she heard the disbelief in his tone. After all this time, he was getting worse instead of better.

"I'm sorry." She said, quietly. She knew the news had broken his heart.

"Why are you sorry?" He asked, confused.

"I wish I could do more to help you."

"You are helping me. Now that I know I can face this thing head on." He said, gently. Her sadness did not lessen.

"If something happens, make sure you call me. I want to make sure nothing happens to you. Okay?"

"Okay."

"Are you busy this weekend?"

"I'm not sure. Why?"

"I just got settled in at the new sanitarium in Virginia. I was hoping you could come and visit."

"I'll see what I can do."

She knew he was closing himself off completely from his emotions. It was her own fault, she supposed, for not teaching him how to deal with them properly. She knew better than to push any further. He was already walking a narrow line as it was.

"Okay, baby. I have to finish unpacking before I take my medication, so I'll let you go. I love you, Spencer."

"Okay. Bye, Mom."

"Bye, baby."

He shut the phone and handed it back to Hotch with a grateful glance. Now that he was finished with the call, they could start today's case.

Meanwhile, a face looked down upon the other alters as they went about their daily business. Adam was vacuuming the living room, where Danny lay on the couch, cuddling his bear with his thumb in his mouth and flipping idly through a picture book. Brock was unseen, but could still be heard drinking a bottle of Jack Daniels and tinkering with his motorcycle. Only Adam looked up to where he dwelled. He knew they had all seen him, but he refused to speak. He fancied himself to be a man of mystery, and wanted to remain an enigma until the time was right.

When the time came, he would pick them off one by one- starting with the baby and ending with Adam, until he could have the pleasure of doing away with Spencer by hand. Then he would have complete control of the body and could do whatever he desired.

But he was a patient man. His time would come. He just had to wait. Slowly, a smile crept up on his face. He would relish in every second of torment on each of their precious faces. Each of them had no idea of what was coming their way.


	14. Thantos

Spencer wondered who this new alter was. He couldn't feel anyone different there. It was strange to think of yet another person inside of him. Someone else feeding off of him. He wished he knew more about them, though. He pushed it to the back of his mind as he drove up to the Piedmont Sanitarium.

He was going to spend the whole day with his mother, and was extremely excited about it.

He parked his car close to the front doors, and went inside.

Diana was laying in her bed, nose in a book when a nurse came to tell her that her son had arrived.

She shut the book happily and went out to greet him.

Spencer stood waiting for her in a plain white shirt, black tie, and khakis. His smile grew exponentially when he saw her. She enveloped him into a hug, so happy to see him.

She led him to her room, where they sat together at the edge of her bed.

"How are you feeling, sweetheart?" She asked, rubbing his back in circles.

He smiled. "Good."

"Good."

"How was the move?"

"Stressful, but worth it."

They shared a smile.

"How has your medication been working?" He asked.

"As well as can be expected, I suppose."

"Do you still have bad days?"

"Of course, but I'll always have them." He nodded solemnly.

Diana gave Spencer a hug, acutely aware of how long their separation had lasted, apart from his increasingly sparse visits. Spencer, not used to physical affection, froze for a moment before returning the hug.

"I've missed you." She said quietly. He smiled, even though no one was looking.

"I missed you, too."

She let him go and looked into her son's eyes.

"I'm so proud of you, Spencer." She said, earnestly.

Although he'd heard the words a million times, they never lost their ability to make him feel special and important.

"Thanks, Mom."

She smiled. It was like seeing a rare butterfly on a spring day. It was genuine and not riddled with her illness as it had been when he was a child. It made the words that much more important.

As quick as Spencer had been there, suddenly he was gone. Danny was there, crying. Diana pulled him into her lap, hushing him as he sobbed.

"Shhhh. It's okay, baby."

"I came to say goodbye, Mommy."

"What do you mean, sweetie?" She asked, brushing a stray lock of hair behind his ear.

"He's going to take us away. But he let me say goodbye first."

She squeezed Danny tightly. "I love you."

"I love you too, Mommy."

Suddenly, his arms dropped from around his mother and stood up.

Diana Reid watched stiffly. She would not be frightened by this new alter.

His head lifted, and the look in his eyes startled her, but she did not show fear.

His eyes were blazing with anger and fury. The corner's of his mouth twitched into a murderous smile.

"What's your name?" She asked, calmly.

"My name," he said slowly, "is Thantos."

Her mind registered the meaning immediately: death.

"What do you want with the alters? What do you want with my son?"

"My goals are simple. I want control. And I will do whatever it takes to get it."

Diana was quiet for a few minutes, gathering her thoughts.

"One by one they'll be gone and then I'll be the only one left."

"You'll never get away with this." She said, quietly.

He looked right into her eyes, cold and calculating.

"I already have."

On that tactful note, he left, and Spencer was back. The way his mother was looking at him made him sure something was wrong.

"What? What happened?"

"The new alter..." She bit her lip, trying to hold herself together.

"What did he do?"

"He's trying to control you by picking off your alters."

Spencer opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out.

"Spencer, I want you to go and see your team now while you're still lucid. Get their help with this, and then come back. Do you understand me?" She said everything precisely, leaving no room for error.

"Yes ma'am."

"Good." She gave him a hug, then watched him go. When he left, she got up and went into a room she had never been in before and hadn't intended to be.

It was a tiny chapel. The room was all white, with a large gold cross at the center of the room, with Christ nailed to it. There were two rows of white pews, and cushions at the alter for people to kneel on. Behind the wall of white that held the cross were stain glass windows depicting the life of Christ. A pipe organ was at one side of the room. She turned to walk up the center aisle, eyes fixated on the tortured face of Christ. She knelt down onto the velvet cushions, never taking her eyes off of the cross.

She was alone. Good. She wanted it that way.

For much of her life she had put her faith in books and facts, but she had always believed in a higher power. Not as strongly as some people, perhaps, but enough to know the Bible and how to pray. That sliver of hope in something greater than herself was being bolstered.

"Lord," she began, unsure of how to start. It had been a while since she had spoken to God. "Please protect my son as he battles these demons. I know that you have a plan for him, and I've seen it with everything he does at his work. Please help him."

After praying aloud, she was silent for a few minutes, trying to find some bit of inner peace. Her search was futile. She sighed, hating the feeling of everything being out of her control. She sang a hymn aloud (and a bit off key) before feeling that she had accomplished what she had set out to do. She went back to her room, still hoping that her son would be okay.


	15. Brock

**WARNING: This chapter contains graphic imagery that is not suitable for younger audiences.**

Spencer worried his way back to the BAU, having texted the team that he was having an emergency. When he entered the conference room, he wasn't sure what he was going to say. Every face was staring at him.

"There's a new alter and it's trying to kill the others- even me."

They all sucked in a deep breath.

"The demons in my head have finally taken over. I've tried to drown them, but they know how to swim." The remark was so bitter and bleak that they all flinched. He felt impatient. "Will you help me?" He asked, desperately.

"We'll do everything we can." Said Gideon. "But we need information."

He nodded. "I watched him talking to my mother."

They looked at him solemnly.

"His name is Thantos, and he wants complete control of my body. He's killing off the alters one by one. Danny's already gone." His voice broke on the word "gone". He let him say goodbye to my mother before he killed him."

"Danny's dead?!" Asked Garcia, alarmed.

Spencer nodded solemnly. His head was throbbing with the beginnings of what he was sure would be an intense migraine.

"I think I'm going to get some stuff from home in case something happens."

"I'll go with you." Derek volunteered.

"Thanks."

"Anytime, pretty boy."

They drove back to Reid's apartment where he packed a bag of clothes, every medication he took, and everything he needed to take a shower. Impulsively, he threw out the food in his fridge, but packed Brock's bottle of Jack Daniels and one of Adam's classic novels in case they needed to be let out. He was out within an hour, where they raced back to the BAU.

Spencer was toeing a line that seemed to get thinner and thinner.

They decided to watch him in shifts. Gideon watched, and then Hotch, but nothing was out of the ordinary. When Morgan came to his post, however, Spencer had vanished. He looked around the room, but saw no one.

"Pssst! Hey, Casanova, over here!"

He was hunkered down under his desk.

"Brock? What are you doing here?"

"Hand me my bottle of Jack Daniels, and move your ass! This is my last meal for Christ's sake!"

He went to the fridge and brought the bottle to him.

"What do you mean it's your last meal?"

"I'm sayin' goodbye, hombre. That Thantos is fixin' to pick us off one by one. I ain't goin' down without a shot of jack and a fight. If I could, I'd use the bottle to shank that son of a bitch, but I don't waste my booze."

Morgan called the team into the bullpen, just as Brock to a large swig of his whiskey.

"Aw shit. Here he comes. Tell Spencer I gave it my best shot. I want you to take my ashes and pour 'em near the Virginia War Memorial so I can rest with my brethren of war. Got it?" Unable to say anything, Morgan nodded as Brock stood up.

"Come and get me you motherfucker!"

Spencer's head bowed, and the Jack Daniels spilled onto the floor.

"Brock? Brock?" Asked Morgan, shaking him slightly.

His head rose slowly, as if he was trying to make it even more dramatic. Derrick quickly backed away. The pure fury and cold look in his eyes made every agent flinch. The smile was twisted and warped in a way that reminded Morgan of The Joker from the Batman comic books.

"Nope. He's dead. I gutted him from the inside out. I tied him up with the chain on his motorcycle and strangled him with his own intestines just for the fun of it after he died a slow and painful death. I slashed his throat and watched him gasp for air while I kicked his ribs to pieces. After all of that I ripped out his heart and tore it up with my bare hands. I hid the body where no one will ever find it again."

He laughed, and it sent shivers down all of their spines. It was a bone-chilling tale. He continued as they remained silent.

"My name is Thantos. However, by the time I'm through here I'll have a new name- they'll call me Deathstroke."

"What did you do to Danny?" Asked Gideon, keeping a stone face.

A dreamy look crossed his features. It made him that much more disturbing.

"Children put up no challenge for me. Hunting Brock was fun- he put up a fight and it made his death that much more enriching. For little Danny Reid, I took the high road and drowned him in the bathtub with his favorite toys. I can still hear him screaming for his mother. It was like hearing angels play the harpsichord. So simple, yet so elegant." He purred.

"You're a monster." JJ spat angrily.

"Tell me something I don't know." He replied, shrugging the insult off as easily as water rolled off of a duck's back.

Hotch stepped forward. "Just what do you want to do with Spencer?" He asked.

A smile lit his features again. "Now, now, agent Hotchner, you don't want to spoil the end of the story before we've even gotten to the good part, do you?" He said, feigning innocence.

"I hate surprises." He deadpanned. Thantos almost laughed.

"As do I. Perhaps we're more alike than you realize."

"I'm nothing like you. You're nothing but a killer whose only motivation is personal gain. You'll do anything or hurt anyone to get what you want. That's the real difference between us- I respect people and know my limits, but you- you're just a coward. Even if you take over this body, do you really think that you'll last out in the real world? You have to be sociable with other people. You have to know how to be kind to others. You'll never know love, and for that reason only, I feel sorry for you."

Before Hotch went any further in his tirade, Spencer was back, feeling slightly confused. He knew something had happened. He could see it on their faces.

"What happened?"

"Brock is dead. There's only Adam left, and then he'll be after you." Said Prentiss.

Spencer felt a surge of sadness go through him before speaking again. "Well then, I guess I'd better get ready to face Thantos head on."


	16. Adam

Adam was very aware that his time was coming. He would die fighting to protect Spencer. He was cleaning the house, painfully aware of how empty it was without Danny's laughter or Brock's loud stories.

He was alone. All alone in the house he had once shared with two of the greatest people he had ever known.

He vacuumed, trying to fill the room with noise. Normally he'd be singing hymns as he cleaned, pleased with his position in life. Now his work served no purpose other than to clean for himself.

He stopped when he got to the couch. Danny's favorite bear and picture book were strewn across the cushions. He picked them up and sat down. He turned the cardboard pages of the little book, looking at the bright, colorful pictures. Brock had always been a loner, but Danny had always been sweet and loving, if not a little clingy.

They had been extremely close. Now, the house had lost all of it's vibrancy. All because one little boy had died.

Unconsciously, he wandered into the bathroom. The bathtub was still full of water. He hadn't been able to bring himself to drain it. This water had held Danny's last moments of life. His bath toys were still in the tub. He didn't know what Thantos had done with Danny's body. Part of him didn't want to know.

He had left pieces of Brock in the garage. He couldn't bring himself to go in after seeing him mutilated like that. Although they may have had vastly different personalities, Brock had been a good friend to him.

He was left to himself.

He had actually dreamed of this when they had all been together. Time to himself was a luxury he had not been permitted.

Fate had an ironic and twisted sense of humor, it seemed.

The house was a crime scene. He wondered what Spencer's teammates would have made of it. If only they could see it.

His feeling of depression was beginning to become a problem. He went into the kitchen and grabbed his bottle of sherry from the refrigerator. It still held Brock's beer and Danny's apple juice.

He took a long draught of wine, not even bothering with pouring it into a glass. It was his last day alive. He might as well enjoy it.

He drank as much as he dared. He read a classic novel cover to cover without a single interruption. He cleaned until the house was spotless, and he made his favorite dinner- chicken à la king in a red wine reduction sauce with smashed potatoes and grilled asparagus. It should have been perfect, and yet the looming threat of demise that hung over his head made it impossible for him to really enjoy any of it. He sighed sadly as he poked at the crème brûlée he made for dessert.

It hurt knowing that in the end it wouldn't matter what his last meal was. He wouldn't matter anymore. He helped protect Spencer. That was the only memorable thing he'd ever done, and almost nobody would know he'd done it.

This was the time to go. Before Thantos got him.

He ran out the door.

It was early the next morning when Adam came out. He personally sought out Gideon and Hotch in order to tell them all that he knew of Thantos before he perished.

"Sirs." He said, nodding. Hotch and Gideon reciprocated the gesture. "Thantos," Adam  
>began, "Stemmed from Spencer's fear of what his mother did to him. The darkness he saw in her- and the darkness he saw in himself were what created him. He lived up in the attic. I knew about him first- I can always sense an imbalance among our household, and he was quite dark and brooding, but I have yet to see him face to face. I suspect I won't until it's my time to go."<p>

They both nodded. That fit him to a tee. Adam leaned in.

"Listen to me. If I go down, it's your job to stop Thantos from harming anybody else. We're lucky he hasn't gone after anyone while he was out, but that could all change in a moment. You have to watch him. It's the only way you'll know what he's thinking. Spencer speaks very highly of you, so I trust your judgement."

The blood drained from Adam's face. "He's coming." It wasn't a terrified whisper as they would have imagined. Instead it was expectant. Factual. He turned to the two agents.

"Thank you and the rest of your team for helping us in our hour of need. We'll be forever grateful for your actions."

He began mumbling The Lord's Prayer before he stopped midsentence and his eyes went blank.

With that Adam's thread of life was cut by the fates. For five minutes, Reid's body was limp. They started to worry about wether or not he was okay until he suddenly straightened. It was undoubtedly Thantos who had claimed it.

"Poor, poor Adam. Always trying to play the martyr. Always complaining about all the work he has to do while lounging about in that house with a bottle of sherry and a book. Where's your promised God now you religious zealot?! What a waste of a man."

"That 'waste of a man' is more of a man than you'll ever be." Said Gideon casually. Thantos rolled his eyes.

"Whatever, grandpa. At the end of the day, it doesn't even matter. All the alters are gone but me. All I have to do now is eliminate the last person inside of here so that I have control of the body. And I'm sure you all know who that one person is."

With that he turned a cold shoulder to the two agents who were exchanging worried glances behind his back.

If they didn't act now, Spencer could die.

"You won't get away with this." Hotch said calmly.

Thantos stopped to look over his shoulder. "I already have. By this time tomorrow Spencer Reid will be gone."


	17. Spencer

Spencer felt the emptiness in his body as each alter was killed off. It was as though he was a shell and his insides had been hollowed out. There was no substance inside of him anymore. He could no longer feel the connection with each of them as he once could. It was strange to be almost completely alone in his own body again.

He had been quiet all day. The entire team had rallied around him as the minutes ticked by. He was about to fight for his life, and there was no way for them to help. It was so frustrating to know that there was nothing they could do to help.

What would happen to them if he were gone? The thought was terrifying. He had so many reasons to live. To fight. For his friends. For his mother. What would she do if he were gone? The thought broke his heart.

He took a blank piece of paper and tapped it with a pen. He started writing a list of promises to himself that he would keep if he were to live.

He would see his mother more. He would make an effort to be more sociable with people.

He would forgive his father. He didn't want to carry that anger forever. He would be more open with his friends.

He wrote them down, feeling as if he were writing his last will and testament. It was a sobering thought. More so than any one he'd ever had.

No one spoke a word, fearing that breaking the silence would shatter reality.

Spencer looked up into each of his team's faces.

"If I don't make it out alive, I want you all to keep going. Don't stop working just because of me."

"Reid, you're gonna be fine." Said Derek. Spencer wanted to believe him, but his heart was riddled with doubt.

"Excuse me." He said walking to a corner of the room by a window so he'd have some privacy.

He took out his cell phone and dialed the new number he had memorized a few weeks ago.

"This is the Piedmont Sanitarium. How may I help you?"

"Yes, hi, My name is Dr. Spencer Reid, I'd like to speak with my mother Diana Reid please."

"One moment, sir."

The wait seemed endless. Finally, she answered. "Hello?"

"Hi, Mom."

"Hi baby. How are you?"

"I'm fine. I just wanted to call and tell you that I love you and that I'm so glad that I had you for a mother."

Diana knew he was hiding something. "What is it, baby?"

He sighed. He thought it best to be honest with her in what very well could be his final hours. "Only Thantos and I are left. Only one of us is going to make it out alive, and I wanted to make sure I got the chance to say goodbye."

"Oh Spencer, you know that you'll win. I know that you'll win."

"Your belief in me is comforting, but I just wanted to cover my bases. I have one more question I wanted to ask, if that's okay?"

"Anything, sweetheart."

"Do you have Dad's number?"

She sighed, but gave him the number.

"I love you, Mom."

"I love you too, baby. Don't you worry, you'll win. I know it."

"Thanks." With a heavy heart, he hung up.

He dialed the unfamiliar number, heart racing, then pressed "call".

"You've reached Kierschenbaum, Wieder and Moore law firm, this is Megan how may I help you?"

"Hello, my name is Dr. Spencer Reid, my father is William Reid, may I speak with him please?"

"Please hold."

The dial tone blared at him, and it was annoying.

Then, the voice, so familiar, yet so strange, came over the phone.

"Hello?"

"Dad?"

William was surprised. "Spencer?"

"Yeah, it's me."

"What is it?"

He took a deep breath. "I want you to know that I forgive you for leaving. I've been so angry at you for so long and I don't want to be angry anymore." His voice broke midway through the sentence.

William was stunned. He'd never expected to hear that from his son. "Thank you." Came the quiet reply.

"My pleasure."

"Spencer, the next time you're in Nevada would you like to go out for dinner?"

He smiled. "Sure. I have to go, but I just wanted to let you know."

"Well thanks for calling."

"You're welcome. Bye, Dad."

"Bye."

He went back over to his friends. "Thanks for sticking with me guys."

"Anytime." Said Garcia with a smile.

"You guys have taught me so much, and I'm grateful. In case this is my last stand I want to thank you all."

"It's what we do." Said Gideon.

Spencer smiled thinly.

The smile was wiped off of his face when he saw Thantos standing there.

"Guys, I think you better leave now. This could get ugly."

"We're not going anywhere." Said Derek, forcefully.

Spencer stepped toward Thantos.

"Hello."

"Let's skip the formalities, shall we?"

"Fine. Get out of my head and leave me alone."

"Oh, you know I can't do that." Thantos purred.

"This is my life, and I'm not letting you take it away from me. I deserve to be happy. To do my job or see my mom, or read a fucking book if I want to!"

"I don't give a damn what you want. It's my time now. Say your goodbyes now because I won't give you the option later."

"This isn't goodbye. I'm taking you out."

Thantos scoffed. "Really? You and what army?"

"I don't need an army."

"Going to face me alone, are you?"

"You're damn right." Spencer clocked him in the jaw.

Thantos wiped his spit away. "Oh you want to get nuts? Let's get nuts!" He shoved Spencer to the ground. Spencer rolled out of the way before Thantos tried to kick him in the ribs. He scrambled to his feet. Spencer kicked him in the groin and grabbed him by the throat.

"This... Is... My... Life... Not... Yours!" He said, choking him.

They rolled until they crashed through the window and were plummeting to the ground.

Spencer grabbed a shard of glass and slit Thantos' throat. His friends ran out after him.

As his body laid there, arm broken and littered with cuts, he smiled, despite the pain.

Thantos was dead, and he was free at last.


	18. Epilogue

In those next few days after Thantos' defeat, Spencer spent his time in a hospital. Despite the squalor he was surrounded by, he was happy. He had looked the worst parts of himself in the face and dealt with them justly. He was free at last of his alters and was able to live his own life.

His friends came to visit, telling him of their current cases and bringing a new book or two to read. He called his mother daily and they talked for hours on end. His father even called once or twice, and although their chats were brief, they were rewarding.

When his cuts had healed up nicely, he returned to the job he loved so much, glad to be of use to the friends who had done so much for him. Slowly, routine began to take shape again, as the burden of being several different people was lifted from his shoulders. He was finally able to do whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted.

However, just because his alters were gone didn't change the fact that they had inadvertently caused him to see the world through different eyes.

Whenever he passed by a church or a little suburban neighborhood, he thought of Adam cleaning up the "house".

Although he wasn't one to drink, occasionally he popped into a bar and took a shot of Jack Daniels for Brock.

And whenever the BAU came across children, the image of Danny always came to mind.

His thoughts almost never turned back to Thantos. Although he appreciated the lessons Thantos taught him about the value of his life. Every moment was made that much more precious. He had been so close to death, and had cheated it within an inch of his life.

It made everything so much more precious.

As he woke up one morning some two months later, he looked at his reflection in the bathroom mirror.

No longer did he see a person split into pieces as he once did. Nor did he see a host that was being attacked by bloodthirsty parasites.

Instead, he saw only himself. Once divided into pieces, he had slowly and painstakingly been put back together again until, at last, he was united within once again.

**Author's Note: Thanks for reading! I hope you all enjoyed it!**


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